GARY, Ind. — Gary Mayor Eddie Melton has put Northern Indiana Public Service Company on notice: restore the lights, then pay for the damage and harden the grid.
The Times of Northwest Indiana reported Aug. 31 that Melton on Monday submitted a Recovery Action Plan to the Merrillville-based utility after the Aug. 11 derecho left hundreds of thousands of Northwest Indiana customers without power — some for up to two weeks. The plan demands bill credits, food-loss reimbursements, and immediate grid investments.
That ask follows a sharper public line Melton drew more than a week earlier. In an Aug. 23 evening briefing, The Times reported thousands of Gary residents were still dark nearly two weeks after the storm. Melton called the pace of restoration “unacceptable.”
“Twelve days is too long for families to be without power,” Melton said. “Twelve days is too long for parents to worry about their children, for businesses to lose revenue and for families to wonder when the relief is finally going to come.”
Key facts — Melton’s asks of NIPSCO (Times, Aug. 31)
| Ask | Detail |
|---|---|
| Disconnect pause | 60-day moratorium after full citywide restoration |
| Fees | Waive fees and penalties |
| Bills | Automatic outage bill credits |
| Losses | Reimburse documented spoiled food and medication, generator/fuel, emergency lodging |
| Food aid | Direct contributions to local food banks, pantries, community groups |
| Trees / backup | Fund storm-tree removal when needed to restore service; partner on generators or redundant feeds |
| Data / process | Neighborhood outage analysis; vegetation review; mayor–NIPSCO line; long-term reliability planning |
NIPSCO had already announced it was suspending non-payment disconnections and collections through the end of September, The Times reported. Melton called those steps an important first move — “but much more remains to be done.”
A NIPSCO spokesperson told The Times the derecho caused extraordinary damage across northern Indiana and that the company mobilized resources from 14 states. The utility said it continues to meet with Gary and other affected communities on storm-response needs.
Outage timeline (as sourced)
- Aug. 11: Derecho hits; Region-wide outages begin (Times)
- Aug. 23: Melton briefing — thousands in Gary still dark; pace “unacceptable”; NIPSCO then estimated majority of Gary homes and businesses restored by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25 (Times / Williams)
- Aug. 31: Melton submits Recovery Action Plan (Times / Requena)
The political peg is local accountability. Melton is not waiting on a rate case or a federal letter. He is using City Hall to demand customer-facing relief and a clearer grid fix for Lake County’s largest city.
In the Aug. 23 update, Melton said senior living buildings in Gary had power restored or reliable generators connected. The city partnered with the Legacy Foundation on weatherhead repair aid when damaged service connections blocked safe restoration. Executive Order 2026-04, effective until Sept. 20, waived city building permits for storm-related mechanical, electrical, plumbing, or roofing repairs, The Times reported.
What remains open is whether NIPSCO answers Melton’s credit and reimbursement list with more than meetings and a temporary disconnect freeze.
Photo credit ¹ Region N3 file / illustrative city-hall art (gary-city-hall-courthouse.jpg). Not a Melton portrait or storm-day photo.